


A mildly chaotic hereafter

by pjordha



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Infinity Stone Soul World (Marvel), M/M, Magical Realism, Post-Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie), Soul Stone (Marvel)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-02
Updated: 2018-10-20
Packaged: 2019-07-06 01:49:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 18,692
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15875988
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pjordha/pseuds/pjordha
Summary: AfterThe Snap,Sam, Bucky, and several others navigate their new existence.  Sam also navigates his feelings for his former frenemy.





	1. Chapter 1

# Chapter One

 

Sam Wilson woke up with his trigger finger still moving, though there was no weapon in his hand, no aliens trying to kill him, and no Earth under his feet.

 

What there _was_ around him looked like something out of a comic book: yellow skies, green clouds, and purple tree-like things sticking out of smooth orange terrain.

 

"Huh," he said to himself, "this is not what I pictured heaven to look like.  Where are the angels?"

 

"You've got to be kidding me."

 

Sam turned around— _whirled_ around with a newfound litheness—and gaped at the sight of one Bucky Barnes.  He was wearing a gauzy white peasant shirt and pants and Birkenstocks.  Sam started to comment until he noticed he was wearing something similar himself, though his footwear was different: Air Jordan sandals.  At least he had that.

 

"I guess you bit it, too?" Sam sighed.  "Damn."

 

Bucky shook the longer than it was two years earlier hair out of his eyes.  "I thought I was in heaven or at least purgatory, but…if _you're_ here—"

 

"Don't even say it, White Wolf."

 

"Yeah."  Bucky looked around.  In the distance there were other sentient beings—human and otherwise—with more arriving every moment, looking equally confused, sometimes similarly bedecked, and yet somewhat peaceful.  "See anyone else we know?"

 

" _We_?  I know tons of people you don't know."  Sam squinted at the surroundings while shielding his eyes from the perfectly bright green star in the sky.  "Huh.  That looks like someone I worked with at the VA over there.  And way over there is that lady with eight dogs who used to live on my block.  And all the way over there—I think that's a Kardashian."

 

Bucky closed his eyes.  "Then it _is_ hell."

 

##

 

They walked around for a bit, getting their bearings, feeling the orange terra firma underfoot, not really talking. 

 

Finally Sam had to address the elephant in the alternative reality.  "I guess Cap made it."

 

Bucky stopped walking in circles.  "Yeah, I was thinking the same thing."

 

Sam scratched his arm, though it didn't itch.  "Good.  I'm glad.  Did you see what happened to him?"

 

"No.  I mean, he was there when I started to…um…go away?  One minute he was there and the next…well, you know."

 

Sam cleared his throat.  "No, I _don't_ know.  I wasn't with him."

 

"Oh."  Bucky cocked his head.  "Well…you had two years to watch over him, so."

 

"Excuse me?"

 

"Nothing."  Bucky went back to walking, though they weren't going anywhere.

 

"So.  They worked on you for two years in Wakanda.  Did it help?  You still a brainwashed homicidal maniac?"

 

Bucky flipped his hair and fixed Sam with an icy glare.  "That depends.  You still a rude asshole?"

 

"Fair enough."

 

 ##

 

"Hello, by the way."

 

Sam took his foot out of a multicolored body of water—a perfect 72 degrees—and stuck it back in his sandal.  "Hello, what?"

 

Bucky rolled his eyes.  "I don't recall us actually addressing one another before everything turned to shit.  You guys showed up in Wakanda, we suited up, and then we were on the battlefield.  Dying, as it were."  He shrugged.  "Not even a head nod.  It's only polite."

 

"So we're being all old-fashioned now?"

 

"I am, like, a hundred years old."

 

Sam shook his head, wishing he had his jetpack so he could fly away from this awkward situation.  "I'm sorry, Barnes.  Next time we're on the brink of an apocalypse, I'll remember my manners."  He offered his hand; when Bucky took it, there was a burst of heat like a firecracker going off in their hands.  It didn't hurt, only perplexed them both.

 

"What the—"

 

"I haven't a clue."  Sam looked closely at their joined hands.  "Maybe Tic-Tac's in there somewhere?"  Bucky snickered and muttered in Xhosa.  "No, you _didn't_ just say something in an African language to me."

 

Bucky snapped, "Yeah, I think I just did."  They glared at each other for several seconds before they dropped each other's hands, which were hot and damp.

 

##

 

"So, what have you been doing for two years?" Sam asked as they watched a bunch of people in the distance break out into song and dance.  "Meditating?  Tai Chi?  Knitting?"

 

Bucky moved out of a Wakandan stretch, cracked his neck, and smiled.  "How'd you guess?  I made Steve three sweaters."

 

"I bet you did."

 

Bucky wiggled his limbs—still getting used to his newest arm.  With that new arm he patted Sam on his shoulder and walked past him, casually mentioning, "I knitted you one, too, dick."  Sam watched Bucky walk down a hill.  The green sunlight shining on his pale forehead should have made him look sickly, but here in this place, everyone seemed to look good.  Better than good, in this case.  Sam shook his head and jogged to catch up.

 

"What did my sweater look like?  I like blue sweaters."

 

##

 

They were sprawled out in a rainbow meadow watching rainbow butterflies when Sam suddenly started talking very fast.

 

"Is it gonna get dark?  Do we need food?  What about digging latrines?  I so don't want to have to do that again.  And sleep—do I need to sleep?  How long are we going to be here?  I think I'm having a delayed reaction.  I might be freaking out.  How can you be so calm?  Are you listening to me?  Are you doing Wakandan yoga over there again?  I may need to breathe into a paper bag!"

 

"Shh."  Bucky laid his real hand on Sam's shoulder.  Sam looked at it, opened his mouth, and then shrugged and fell back into contentment.  "All right?"

 

"Yeah.  Fine."

 

##

 

Bucky's hand was still on Sam's shoulder a while later.  Sam sat up in the now plaid meadow and yawned, though he wasn't tired.  "I wonder if I should go look for my relatives.  I hope to God they aren’t here, but…well, what do you think?  Should I go?"

 

He couldn't see Bucky's face but he could hear him clear his throat.  "Um, that's totally up to you, man.  I'm not gonna stop you."

 

"Right."  Sam moved one leg, but didn't stand.  He looked around.  There were souls everywhere, most likely trillions of them, but the place wasn't crowded.  They had plenty of room.  Still, trillions.  "It could take ages to find them.  And it's not like I can do anything for them.  And, they won't need anything.  I still haven't had to pee yet.  You?"

 

"Uh-uh."

 

"Right."  Sam settled back on the meadow floor, his head millimeters from Bucky's.  "I guess if they're here, and I'm meant to find them, I will." 

 

Moments went by where they just gazed up at the sky.  Then Bucky mumbled, "So…you're staying then?"

 

"Yeah.  I'm staying."  Sam closed his eyes, not that he needed sleep, but it felt nice.  He wasn't sure, but he thought he heard Bucky whisper, "Good."

 

##

 

The next time Sam "woke up," though not really from sleep, he was wearing a colorful dashiki, loose-fitting white pants, and sandals with the Wakandan flag on top.  He looked for Bucky, started to feel uneasy when he couldn't immediately find him, and then chastised himself for that.

 

"About time you got up," Bucky grunted as he appeared out of nowhere.  He was wearing authentic Wakandan garments, and his hair was up in a loose bun.  On his feet were orange Crocs.

 

"Well, at least I got you beat on the shoes.  Even in heaven/hell, those will never be cool."

 

Bucky rolled his eyes as he sat down in front of Sam with a large box.  "These are the most comfortable footwear I've ever tried.  Square toe box, man.  All I have to say."  He lifted the box lid to reveal an assortment of delicious looking fried dough pastries.

 

"What—how—what the what?"

 

"Found a street vendor over the hill making sfenj.  I used to get these all the time when I was…stationed…in Morocco."  He gobbled one down.  He looked like he might dissolve into a puddle of goo.

 

Sam watched Bucky's lips get sticky, then looked away.  "Should I even ask how you found a street vendor?  And when were you in Morocco?  Nevermind, I don't…are those any good?"

 

"Dude, I got enough for both of us."

 

Sam smiled as he lifted a piece to his nose.  "Don't suppose we have to watch our carbs in the afterlife."  He took a bite, and also became a puddle of goo.  "Aw, man.  This is the business right here."

 

Bucky licked his lips and went in for another.  "You and your 21st century phrases.  I can't keep up."

 

Sam laughed and slapped Bucky on his barely exposed shoulder.  "You bring us some more stuff like this, I'll teach you all the post-World War II lingo you want!"

 

"Huh.  Know any in Russian?"

 

"Aw, shut up."  Sam sat back in the tall velvety grass and finished off several more treats.  "Thank you, by the way.  Just trying to be polite."

 

"You're welcome."

 

Sam rubbed his stomach and wondered how many crunches he'd have to do on Earth to burn that off.  When he looked over at Bucky, he was surprised to find the man's eyes on his hand on his stomach.  "Um…I don't suppose we'll get heartburn here?"

 

Bucky closed up the pastry box and gazed out over the now checkerboard horizon.  "Doubt it."

 

"Just checking."  Sam closed his eyes, licked the last of what would probably be many more sfenj from his lips.  "I like your man bun.  It's cute."

 

Bucky didn't say anything, but he reclined in the grass next to Sam, their shoulders touching.

 

##

 

Though he didn't have to pee, Sam was thinking about trying.

 

"Why would you try to pee if you didn't have to?" Bucky asked from somewhere beneath the mythical unicorn-cum-Persian cat creature that appeared from nowhere and pounced on them with snuggles and licks.  The thing seemed to prefer lying on Bucky.  Sam refused to pet it.

 

"I don't know.  It's like, what if we stop using our muscles and bodily functions, and then we go to another physical plane of existence, but since our bodies have atrophied, we're not prepared…and we die?  Or lose our six-packs?  I worked really hard for these abs!"  He lifted his garments to show off his Earth six pack, which in this realm had become an eight pack.  "I can't let this go to waste."

 

Bucky slapped the animal gently; it got up and galloped away, leaving sprinkles and confetti in its wake.  He glanced at Sam's abs.  "That's…oh.  I think you got me beat."  He lifted his clothing, revealing his own formerly six, now ten pack.  Sam swallowed hard and dropped his clothes.

 

"I'm going for a run."

 

Sam was seconds or days into his run when Bucky showed up behind him.  Not that Sam could see him, but he knew he was there.  He also knew that, like Steve, Bucky could run circles around him.  They kept on running, though neither of them were really going anywhere.  As if on an invisible treadmill, they kept running towards nowhere, Sam always a few feet ahead.  Sam imagined Bucky's man bun was bouncing around on top of his head in quite an amusing and inviting way, but he promised himself he wouldn't turn around to look.

 

##

 

Bucky was sitting lotus style atop an oversized flower.  Sam approached him from behind carefully, intent on surprising him, to see if he fell off the flower, or to see what he would do.  Bucky must have felt him coming.

 

"Trying to sneak up on me is not very polite."

 

Sam stared at the combination of petals and ass like he'd eventually understand the physics of a grown man balancing on something the size of a houseplant.  "If you can do _that_ here, why not grow your old arm back?"

 

Bucky rolled his eyes.  "You think I haven't thought about it?  Anyway, I've tried it.  I'm not a magician."

 

"We could use a magician right now," Sam said, eyes still on how the flower cushioned his former-pseudo-nemesis' backside.  "Is that comfortable?"  Bucky didn't answer, but he scooted over to make room.  The flower was indeed comfortable.

 

##

 

At some point the flower morphed into a hammock big enough for two grown men.  There was a nice breeze that swayed the hammock just perfectly.  Sam suddenly had a flashback to a similar moment back in the day, and a song from that time stuck in his head.  He started to hum it, and then decided he'd rather listen to it.  He thought about an mp3 player, but a Walkman seemed appropriate for the old school moment.

 

"Here," he sighed, handing Bucky the second pair of headphones, the old kind with the red foam tips.  He plugged them both in and pushed play on the mixtape he made up as it went along.  He watched Bucky nod appreciatively at his music choices.  They fell into a nice silence, just listening and swinging.  Then Bucky decided to ruin the moment by asking, "Did you make mix tapes for Steve, too?"

 

Not knowing how to answer that, Sam decided to get up and walk away instead.

 

**##**

 

Sam came across Spider-Man, who was wearing his original suit with an Iron Man mask.  The webslinger was judging a breakdancing contest between the leaders of two rival countries.  It was not pretty.

 

"Hey!  I was wondering if I'd see anybody else here," Spider-Man squeaked as he shook Sam's hand.  "Where's your wing-jet-thingy?  That was cool!  Can you fly without it?  Are we still on the same side?  Do you think that Thor guy is in here?  I'd like to meet him!"

 

Sam took a step backwards.  "Hold the phones, junior.  Do you know what this place is?"

 

"Well—"

 

"Wait.  Can you take that mask off?  You could be anyone under there."

 

"Oh, right."  Spider-Man became Peter Parker.  Sam shook his head.  "Oh, we never actually met, face to face, huh?  You remember me?  Mr. Stark brought me in to fight against Captain America and you and the guy with the metal arm and long hair—"

 

"Yeah," Sam grunted," I remember."

 

Peter looked around.  "What happened to him?  Arm and hair guy?"

 

Sam shrugged.  "He was here.  Then I, uh…I don't know."

 

"You two were close friends, right?"

 

Sam scowled at the young man.  "What makes you say that?"

 

"I don't know.  You two were arguing like an old married couple.  Or something.  Of course, you could be, like, secret boyfriends for all I know!"  Peter laughed and slapped Sam on the back.  It was then that Sam's jet-pack appeared on his back and its owner gladly activated his wings and took flight.  "Whoa!  That's awesome!  Mind if I follow you, flyguy?  These dictators can't dance at all!"

 

##

 

Peter Parker was about to explain everything he knew about their current situation when they glided by—Sam flying, Peter swinging—a real New York pizzeria.  They had to stop.

 

The pizza was indeed good, but Sam was more interested in deciphering what the teenager was saying around a thin crust margherita slice.  "Explain the glove again.  And who was the one with a magic cape?"

 

"That would be me," said a deep voice from out of nowhere.  Sam only flinched a little at the sudden appearance of a strange man next to him, which seemed to be par for the course in this place.  Peter apparently knew the guy—gave him a thumbs up—so Sam decided he wasn't someone to kill, even in heaven.

 

"You're the magician with the cape and the Tony Stark facial hair?" Sam asked the man, who was indeed wearing a cape along with a set of dark purple surgical scrubs.  The man rolled his eyes.  The cape grabbed the largest slice of pizza and rolled up into a tight ball around it.

 

"Doc…Mist…Staaak…mmmph…killt?" Peter asked, mouth full.

 

"I'm fairly certain that Stark survived this," replied cape guy.  He looked down at the pizza, waved his hands around in several semicircles, and then groaned happily as two slices disappeared.  "Oh, that's the good stuff."

 

Sam shivered at the now nearly finished pizza.  "Dude, did you just—I don’t think I want to know."

 

"Doctor Steven Strange," cape guy introduced himself as he wiped grease from his fingertips, for some reason.  "And we have much to discuss…but first, where can I get a medium Diet Coke?"

 

##

 

Sam listened to the sorcerer explain about the events on Titan.  He updated the other two regarding the battle in Wakanda.  All three nodded their heads.

 

"So, knowing what we know, are we in any position to undo this right now?" Sam asked hopefully.

 

Doctor Strange looked off into the distance.  "Right now…actually…no."

 

Peter raised his hand like he was in class.  "But you saw the possible futures, right?  Is this the only way to defeat that ball-chin?  For us to die and stay here?"

 

Before Strange could answer, a hovercraft plopped down from the sky right in front of them.  T'Challa and Bucky emerged from the door wearing "Wakanda Forever" T-shirts and carrying five large beverage cups.

 

Sam and Bucky did not make eye contact.

 

"If I am to be confined to this ancestor-less realm," T'Challa proclaimed as he handed out the drinks, "at least I will entertain my palate with the best coffee in existence."

 

Peter accepted his coffee with a grateful handshake.  "Dunkin' Donuts!  Sweet!"

 

T'Challa shivered but smiled at the boy politely.  "Mine is the finest Wakandan dark roast.  We have not yet met, Doctor, but something told me your cape wanted a Diet Coke."

 

"Your Highness," the doctor murmured as he accepted the beverage with a slight bow of gratitude.

 

"And White Wolf got you a chai tea with almond milk, Mr. Wilson."

 

Sam took of sip of his tea.  It was the best he'd ever had.  He couldn't remember ever ordering it when Bucky was around, but there was no sense asking questions.  He squared his shoulders and offered a grateful hand to his benefactor.  "Um, thanks, man."

 

Bucky looked at the hand skeptically.  When they touched, the spark thing happened again.

 

"Ok, someone tell us what the hell that is!" Sam shouted.  He eyed the sorcerer.  "Doc?"

 

Strange looked at the still held hands, the lingering smoke, and the awkward looks on the two men's faces.  "Beats me.  Could be some sort of love spell."

 

"Not!" both men said in unison.

 

T'Challa nodded sagely.  "I believe there is a rare plant that, when heated and consumed, will create such a reaction between the partakers."  He thought another moment.  "Or perhaps I saw this on an episode on _The Wakanda Zone_."

 

"Maybe it means we're not supposed to shake hands," Bucky said under his breath.

 

Peter, coffee finished and caffeine-high, grabbed Sam and Bucky by the shoulders in an awkward embrace.  "Dudes!  You make fireworks in your hands?  That's awesome!  Just think what you can do for the 4th of July!  And it probably has nothing to do with your having the hots for each other because—hey look at that pink unicorn over there!"  And Spider-Man went swinging off chasing mythical animals that only he could see.  Bucky and Sam watched him go, then looked down at their hands, which were still joined.  The sparks continued.

 

"Um," Bucky uttered.

 

"Yeah."  Sam loosened his grip but Bucky pulled away first.  Sam's throat went tight, inexplicably.

 

##

 

A menagerie of multicolored horned/winged/confetti-breathing creatures hovered by while the formerly alive, currently something else men finished their drinks.  Then, someone suggested they, "Think about, I don't know, busting out of here."

 

T'Challa nodded and tossed his empty cup into the air, where it turned into a butterfly.  "I agree.  Anyone have an idea as to how we do this?"

 

Doctor Strange started saying something but his words were drowned out by the lilting voice of Glen Campbell.  The allies, now more accustomed to the weirdness that was their current existence, were unfazed when a large Atari 2600 console landed right in front of them.  Four beings, one half human, two human-esque, one tree-esque, emerged from the cartridge slot. 

 

The one wearing the exact outfit Han Solo had on when frozen into carbonite in _The Empire Strikes Back_ approached them singing, " _Like a Rhinestone Cowboy_ —da nuh nuh!"

 

Peter waved amiably at the guy.  "Hey, dude, nice to see you!  But, uh, isn't it kind of your fault that we're—"

 

"… _Riding out on a horse in a star-spangled rodeoooooo!"_ Not-Han Solo did a little dance move for flourish, then snapped his fingers to stop the music.  "Hey, folks.  Yes, it's me, Star- Lord, here to guard yet another galaxy.  This superhero business is exhausting, right?"  He looked at Doctor Strange and Spider-Man.  "What up, dudes?  I guess Thanos won after all, huh?  Hmm, can't imagine why."  Peter raised his hand.  Star-Lord ignored him and looked at the others.  "Haven't met you guys yet.  You're from Earth, right?  Tell me: when did Kevin Bacon get a retroactive Oscar for _Footloose_?"

 

"No more Kevin Bacon talk!" carped Drax the Destroyer, who was topless save a button pinned to his trousers saying "Team Pirate-Angel."  Hearing you sing his praises only irritates my nerves…and then makes me hungry."

 

Wearing an "I feel pretty" T-shirt, the third being to emerge from the Atari carefully placed a hand on Drax's arm.  "Such hunger!  We should have Snickers!"

 

Star-Lord snapped his fingers.  "Mantis is right—we should definitely have Snickers.  Oh, no, wait!  Smarties!  Oh, you Earth guys, did you bring Smarties?  It's impossible to get those things in space!"

 

Doctor Strange cracked his neck dramatically and warmed up his hands.  "If we get you these Smarties will you shut up long enough for us to explain everything that's happened so far?"

 

Star-Lord looked pensive for a second.  "I…can't make any promises."

 

Smarties and other refreshments were procured from thin air.  Then Doctor Strange conjured up a gigantic video showing brief highlights from the assemblage of The Avengers through their combined battle against Thanos.

 

Bucky snickered at his image on screen as he tied his long hair up into another man bun.  "Is _that_ what I look like?  I need a haircut."

 

"And a shave," Sam added helpfully.

 

Bucky squinted at Sam on the screen.  "Huh.  Least I don't need to work on my biceps…like _some_ people."

 

Sam tried not to smile.  "Now was _that_ polite?"

 

"Just trying to keep up with you, man."

 

Star-Lord pointed at both Sam and Bucky.  "Mm.  I'm picking up on some barely concealed sexual tension between you two.  Is this like a good cop, bad cop thing?  I think we need to see the prequel to this movie to find out."

 

Doctor Strange growled as he continued to move his hands around in the air, conjuring up more moving images.  "There will be no prequel!"

 

Star-Lord clapped and mimicked the sorcerer.  "Wax on, wax off, dude!"

 

"Oh, I get that one!" Bucky chimed in.  "Saw _The Karate Kid_ during a weeklong thaw-out in Bulgaria in '84.  The subtitles took up half the screen."

 

Sam tried to picture the Winter Soldier, still under Hydra's control, still a heartless killing machine, watching the same movie he saw when he himself was only six years old.  "Huh.  Hey, Bucky, remember when—"

 

"Dudes!" Star-Lord yelled once the news footage reached its dramatic conclusion.  "I knew it wasn't my fault!  Why didn't Thor cut off Thanos' head when he had the chance?  Or his arm?  Busted!  I told you that guy wasn't all that!"

 

Drax looked down at his own muscular, grey body.  "We must not blame the Asgardian.  Surely the bulbousness of his biceps and pectorals threw off his aim with the newly smelt Windbreaker axe.  It must be difficult to carry around such a perfect body, and not constantly be stopping to admire it."

 

Star-Lord flexed his somewhat doughy bicep.  "I know the feeling."  No one noticed.  "Aw, c'mon, guys."

 

Mantis approached Sam and Bucky as her antennae lit up.  "The dynamic between these two I have not felt before, but I suspect they would have made what Star-Lord calls an 'After-School Special' about it."

 

Spider-Man, now entranced by and trying not to stare at those antennae, said, "Yeah—Mantis, right?  I've seen old people talk about those things.  Used to come on before cable existed, like in the '50s or something."  The Earthlings over the age of 30—all of them save Spider-Man—groaned.  "As for these two, it's like, um…how would you say…old best friend versus new best friend?"

 

Sam crossed his arms over his chest.  "I wouldn't exactly say that.  I mean—"

 

"No, I get it," explained Spider-Man as he counted on his fingers.  "Bucky was Captain America's best friend first, and then they both went on ice for about a century, and then Cap became best friends with Falcon, and then they found Winter Soldier, and, like, Bucky became the new old best friend, and Sam was the old new best friend and…and…dude, where did you meet Cap again, Sam?"

 

Sam scratched his head and said under his breath, "Um…the National Mall."

 

Bucky crossed his arms.  "No, tell them what _really_ happened."

 

Star-Lord took a medium sized tablet from out of _nowhere_ and nodded triumphantly as it played back the first meeting between Sam Wilson and Steve Rogers.  " _Now_ I get it.  You two were the only ones running in a park and this Steve guy kept lapping you reaaaally closely and seemingly deliberately running into you and then when you collapsed into a pile of sweaty limbs the other one came up to you and you two power-bonded and—oh.  You know, I think there's a word for that."

 

"Cruising," Wanda Maximoff quipped as she appeared suddenly amid the others.  "Even in Sokovia, we knew what it meant when men would go to public parks by themselves."

 

The plant-being chirped, "I am Groot!" to which his companions gasped and scolded his profanity.

 

Sam started to say something in protest, but nothing would come.  Bucky just smirked at him.

 

"Exactly," Wanda quipped, clearly pleased with the results of her words.  She lit a cigarette and smoked it in one puff.  Then her clothing morphed from her original Scarlet Witch costume into a pair of cutoff jean shorts and a tight tank top with the words "I can see your dirty pillows" on it.  "That's better."

 

Peter Parker elbowed his way toward the new arrival.  "Hey, there.  Um, sorry about your loss."  The others made guttural noises of assent.  "I never got to tell you before, because we were fighting on different sides then, but…I thought your accent was way cool!  What happened to it?"

 

Sam snickered under his breath.  "Real smooth talk, kid."  Bucky chuckled along with him.  It didn't seem to faze Peter, but Wanda looked put out.  She frowned at Sam and Bucky, then curled her fingers at them as if to strike them with some of her telekinetic powers.  They cowered together, but the red swirls shooting from Scarlet Witch's fingers did nothing more than turn their clothing into skinny jeans and sweatshirts with puppies and kittens on them.  When they saw the results of Wanda's revenge on their rudeness, they barely held back a laugh.

 

"Darn it," Wanda hissed, flicking her wrist.  "What happened?  I was trying to knock you back on your denial-ridden asses!"

 

T'Challa shook his head.  "I do not think you can harm anyone in this place."

 

Wanda shot her former Team Cap mates another dirty look.  "That's too bad.  How do we know?"

 

Doctor Strange answered, "It's the nature of this dimension.  Everyone resides in a state of peace and well-being.  As far as I can tell."

 

"Let's test this," Star-Lord said gleefully.  He reached over and yanked on Bucky's man bun. 

 

"Dude!" the bun's owner screeched, though he didn't appear hurt.

 

"Did that hurt?  Does that make you want to lash out with that gnarly arm of yours?"

 

"No, but…damn."

 

"Not cool, man," Sam said, then without thinking reached over to fix the man bun back in place.  The others looked away embarrassedly.  "What?  You messed up the man's 'do and I'm fixing it back!"

 

"That's awful…nice…of you," Star-Lord quipped.

 

"You guys suck."  Sam walked away to get some fresh—fresher air.  Bucky took a step in Sam's direction, and stopped.  Star-Lord came over and clapped an annoyingly reassuring hand on Bucky's back.

 

"Don't worry about your old-new-former-not-best-friend.  He'll be back.  I mean, where's he gonna go, right?  It's not like Flash Gordon's gonna kill Thanos and unsnap his fingers and bring us all back alive and well, right?"  Everyone got quiet and looked at each other with questions and hope in their eyes.  Star-Lord squeezed Bucky's left shoulder.  "Dude, this is a righteous arm.  If my friend Rocket shows up here, better hide it.  He'll have that thing for sure."  Bucky growled and walked away in the opposite direction of Sam.  "Hey, what did I say?"


	2. Chapter 2

# Chapter Two

 

Sam had always secretly made fun of people when he'd seen them cross-legged, eyes closed, "meditating."  Now that he was not exactly alive, he figured he might as well try it.  He was several minutes into seated reflection atop a buttercup when he sensed a body right in front of him.  He didn't open his eyes…he didn't need to.

 

"Can I help you, Sergeant Barnes?"

 

Bucky elbowed him over and sat lotus-style next to him atop the flower.  "Not my fault.  I tried to get away but…here you are.  This is my flower, dude."

 

Sam snickered and cracked one eye open.  Bucky was looking somewhat relaxed in a blue Wakandan garment that looked a little familiar.  "You feeling guilty for something?"

 

"What?  No.  Why?"

 

"Isn't that the thing you were wearing the first time the Wakandans tested you for lingering brainwashedness, and you broke some stuff, and one of the Dora Milaje had to put you down until you could be restrained?  You were beyond apologetic.  They seemed merely amused."

 

Bucky stared at Sam's profile for a long while.  "How the hell do you know that?"

 

"I…um…I think Steve…must have told me."

 

"Would Steve tell you about what I was wearing?"

 

Sam tried to concentrate on his meditating, but it was hard with Bucky's intense glare that close to him and Bucky's bare, muscled arm brushing against his bare, muscled arm.  He tried to move away, but the buttercup suddenly tightened up, leaving them no room to move.

 

"Uh.  I know because I was there when it happened, ok?"

 

"You were there…in Wakanda… _watching_ me…and you didn't say anything?  Why?"

 

Sam tried to melt into the ground.  Didn't work.  Tried to trigger his wings to fly away.  Nothing.  He groaned and looked up directly at the multiple suns, but their light only warmed him, didn't burn.  "Look, it's not a big deal.  Steve wanted to be there when you first came out of cryo, and he was worried that you'd do just what you did, and so he wanted to observe without you knowing about it."

 

Bucky nodded, frowning.  "And you came along to support him."

 

"Well, yeah."

 

"That the only time you came to Wakanda until Thanos?"

 

Sam looked away.  "Uh huh."

 

"That's interesting.  Because the first time I came out of cryo, I wasn't wearing this.  This is from the _second_ time I came out.  Steve wasn't there because I made him promise to stay away, and Steve always keeps his promises.  So do you want to amend your story?"

 

"Can you get off this flower?"

 

"Just tell me."

 

Sam thought about trying to force Bucky off, but he knew he couldn't harm anyone.  Plus, he didn't want to think about the kind of pyrotechnics they'd create if he pressed himself that hard against Bucky.  "Ok, yes, I was there the second time.  Without Steve."  Bucky leaned back to look at him, making the biceps in his real arm bulge attractively, Sam noticed.  "He was worried, but he didn't want to go back on his word.  And I didn't have anything big on that day, so…I just flew down there to check up on you.  And you were fine.  Mostly.  Only a little screaming and thrashing."

 

"Ok.  What did you tell Steve when you got back?"

 

"Nothing.  He didn't know I went."

 

"Really?  I thought you two were joined at the hip," Bucky grumbled.

 

"I thought _you_ two were," Sam snapped.  They glared at each other, then started at the loud sound of smacking lips.  They looked to the left to see the floating head of Mantis, eating popcorn.

 

"So much drama, so much emotional tension," she said as her antennae wiggled to and fro.  The two men tried to ignore the intrusion.

 

"So the other times Steve came to Wakanda over the last two years, you stayed away?" Bucky asked.

 

"I didn’t want to intrude on your best friend time."

 

" _Old_ best friend," Mantis corrected.

 

Bucky crossed his arms at Sam. "What…were you jealous?"

 

"Oh, right," Sam snapped.

 

The hologram of Mantis's floating head started to bob around and her antennae started shooting sparks.  "Oh, yes, so jealous," she murmured like she was watching the juiciest soap opera in any universe.  "Old best friend and new best friend compete for the attentions of The Captain, and their rivalry metamorphoses into something new and beautiful like…a moth."

 

Sam spat, "What?  You've got to be kidd—"

 

"Why not a butterfly?  A butterfly is prettier," Bucky explained.

 

"Ok, let's stop this right now!"  Sam wiggled his way as far from his rival as he could, which was only a few inches.  "First, Barnes and I are not a moth or a caterpillar or a silverfish or any type of insect.  Two, we are not…competing…for anything.  We're both Cap's friends in different and yet equally satisfying ways."

 

Mantis's antennae shook side to side.  "Nope," she said plainly.

 

Wanda's head popped up right next to Mantis's.  Scarlet Witch was smoking a huge blunt.

 

"What she means is that for the past several years, you both have thought that the other was boffing Steve, when in reality," Wanda said before blowing out a huge smoke ring in the shape of the Sokovian flag, "Steve was boffing neither one of you."

 

Sam's jaw dropped.  "Um…say what now?"

 

Bucky's jaw dropped too.  "You mean, all these years you've been following Steve all over the planet, and you two never—"

 

"No!" Sam insisted.  "Why would you even think that?"

 

"Dude!" Bucky squealed, sounding almost Peter Parker-esque.  "Picked you up in a public park!"

 

"Single handedly lead a suicide mission to rescue you behind enemy lines!" countered Sam.

 

"Recruited you after _one_ meeting—and went against his own government to rescue you from The Raft!"

 

Sam held his hand up.  "Started a Civil War and basically broke up The Avengers—all to protect _you_."  He did an imaginary mic drop.

 

"He does have a point," Wanda mumbled with a full mouth.

 

Bucky gave the disembodied heads a death glare, which they ignored and continued chomping popcorn.  "So let's get this straight: all this time you've resented me because you thought I was sleeping with Steve?"

 

Sam threw his hands up in the air.  "No!  I resented you because you were trying to kill Steve—and me!  Might I remind you that you ripped off my wing and kicked me off a Helicarrier?"

 

Bucky looked nonplussed.  "You're still mad about that?"

 

"Yes!"

 

"Jeez.  Look, I'm sorry, ok?  I'm sorry that I was brainwashed, I'm sorry for all the people I murdered, and I'm sorry if I hogged all Steve's attention.  I know you think he wasted everyone's time trying to save the Winter Soldier."

 

Sam chose his next words carefully while Mantis and Wanda fought over the last of their popcorn.  "Maybe…maybe at first.  I thought you were a lost cause.  I couldn't understand why Steve would risk so much for you—"

 

"Jealousy!" Mantis cried happily.

 

Sam turned his back on the interlopers.  "But now that I've seen how hard you've fought to redeem yourself…I understand.  I can see why Steve respects you so much."

 

"Why don't you two just make out now and get it over with?" Wanda said with a bored yawn.  Mantis nodded enthusiastically.

 

"Would you two please shut the hell up?" Bucky snarled at the floating heads.  "This conversation is private!"

 

"Privacy…intimacy!" Mantis cooed.  And then her hands reached out from nowhere and landed upon the two men.  "Oh...OH!"  She gasped, held her breath, and let it out slowly.  With an uncharacteristically deep voice she cooed, "Emotional tension.  Sexual tension.  Lube."

 

"Good bye!" Sam growled, ripping himself away from Mantis's grip.  His wing-pack sprouted, but just before he took off he looked over at Bucky and held his hand out.  "C'mon, man."  Bucky gratefully grabbed his hand and Sam flew them away in a burst of sparkles and animated hearts.  The ladies watched them go and then looked at each other.

 

"Damn," Mantis sighed, "am I the only one who's horny now or what?"

 

##

 

In the distance Sam saw a rocky hilltop to land on.  The moment he and Bucky set down, however, the peak changed from hard-edged rock into a giant waterbed.  A rainbow colored waterbed.

 

"Of course," Bucky said, indicating their surroundings.  He pointed at Sam's chest.  "Um, did you do that?"

 

Sam was afraid to look.  It could have been Wanda or Mantis that dressed them in matching "I'm not gay but my boyfriend is" tank tops.  It could have been Peter Parker.  It could have been anyone or anything. "Of course not," Sam growled and concentrated on changing it back, but the thing would not change.  "I've got nothing.  Can you fix this?"

 

Bucky squinted in concentration for a few moments, then shook his head.  "Fuck it."  He pulled the tank top all the way off.  Sam watched, just to make sure that would work.  When he figured he'd stared long enough he did the same.  Somewhere in the distance down below they could just make out several whistles and catcalls.

 

"Is it hot up here or what?" Sam mumbled quickly as he fanned his topless body.

 

"Yeah, I think it is."  Bucky reached down behind a fluffy pink bush and retrieved a tall bottle of cold water.  He drank some down and then poured some over his head.  Sam cleared his throat, which suddenly felt very, very dry.  Bucky drank some more, his eyes on Sam's eyes on his throat.  "Mmm…want some?"

 

"Sure."  When Sam grabbed the bottle and their fingers touched, more sparks popped up, so many that the water in the bottle started to boil.  "Aw, c'mon!"

 

"I'm not doing it!"

 

"I didn't say you were.  I don't know what this is.  I don't know anything anymore, damn!"  Sam sat down with his head in his hands on the waterbed, which morphed into a comfortable recliner, built for two.  "I'm so…I don't know.  I can't be tired, I'm dead!"

 

Bucky stared at Sam squirming uncomfortably on the plush sky recliner.  He sighed and plopped down next to him, tossing the water away.  "Ok, let's get this over with."

 

Sam looked at Bucky out of the corner of his eye.  "Do we have to?"  When Bucky gave him an exasperated glare, Sam sighed loudly, threw his hands up in the air, and growled, "Ok, fine!  Why, oh, why do you think that everyone in this afterlife thinks we're into each other?"

 

"Beats me, man."  Bucky stretched out next to Sam.  His metal arm pillowing his head caused his biceps and pecs to flex.  Sam frowned at him.  "What?"

 

"Can you not…do _that_ …while we're trying to dispel myths of our nonexistent romantic relationship?"

 

Bucky smiled.  "Do _what_ , exactly, and…since when is our 'relationship' romantic and not purely sexual?"

 

"Be all beefcake-y and flexing your muscles at me…and it _would_ be romantic because you'd totally fall for me in a minute, dude."  Sam reclined and closed his eyes against the now orange suns.  He flexed his biceps for good measure, which earned him a snort.  "Don't laugh.  I'm quite a catch for someone pushing foorrrrrrgghgh."

 

"Yeah, I guess."

 

They were quiet for a long time, just enjoying the light on their exposed skin and the gentle undulation of the waterbed-cum-recliner underneath them.  After a while, Bucky cleared his throat and said, "I'm sorry I tried to kill you.  More than once."

 

Sam nudged Bucky's real bare arm, and didn't complain at the candy hearts that popped up.  "I'm sorry I told Steve that you were someone to stop instead of someone to save."

 

"Dude.  You went deep there."

 

"I'm a deep kind of guy."

 

"Ok, then."  Bucky rolled to his side, leaning on his arm to look down at Sam.  "I'm sorry you had to sacrifice yourself in Germany so Steve and I could get away."

 

"Oh, nice one."  Sam sat up half way, his abs in a hard mid-crunch.  "I'm sorry I didn't visit you _officially_ in Wakanda.  Though I got constant updates on your progress from Steve and Shuri with those Kimandkanye beads."

 

That got a long, body-shaking laugh from Bucky, which in turn made Sam laugh, which set Bucky off, and they both fell apart laughing for a nice long time.

 

"Man," Sam croaked as he wiped tears from his eyes, "I don't think I've ever seen you laugh like that before."

 

"Yeah, well, sorry I'm no fun.  It happens when you've been alone for decades," Bucky replied with a huge smile.  Sam found himself staring and then looked away quickly.

 

"Ok, fine."  Once Sam caught his breath, he looked Bucky squarely in the eye.  "I'm sorry I wouldn't move the seat up."  When Bucky flushed a little and bit his lip, Sam fell on his back again and covered his eyes with his arm.  He breathed deeply and tried to ignore the body next to him.  After a long while Bucky fell out next to him, his arm gently pressing against Sam's side.

 

"I guess I can see why some people would think you're a catch.  A fella could do worse than you…I guess."

 

Sam smiled and drifted off to soft breathing and rocking and cool metal against his skin.

 

##

 

There was long brown hair in Sam's mouth when he opened his eyes.  Somehow in their not-sleep he and Bucky had turned on their sides and Sam was almost but not quite spooning his Team Captain mate.  He looked around to make sure Wanda or Mantis weren't there filming them, and then he snuggled closer to warmth and drifted off again.

 

##

 

When Sam opened his eyes again he and Bucky were resting on a bed of rose petals.  Facing each other.  With feet intertwined.  Sam thought about moving, but decided it might appear rude.  So he stayed where he was.  Eventually Bucky spoke up.

 

"So, just to be clear…nothing going on between you and Steve?  Never was, never wanted to, never anything?"

 

"Exactly."  Sam stared at his left hand, separated from vibranium by only a few rose petals.  "And you and Steve—no century-old super soldier mancrushes?  From either side?"

 

Bucky chuckled.  "I love Steve.  Like a brother.  Nothing more."  When Sam finally got the nerve to look at him, he whispered, "Ok?"

 

"Yeah.  Glad we cleared that up."  Sam snuggled down into the roses, and let his fingers wander closer to cool metal.  "It's a shame, really.  You two would have made a super-hot couple."

 

"Yeah, we would have."  When Sam scoffed and closed his eyes, Bucky sighed and murmured, "I think _we'd_ be hotter though—you and me, I mean—theoretically speaking."

 

Sam actually giggled.  "I agree," he yawned as he slid his fingers against metal ones.  The sparks were calm this time, accompanied by a playlist of old school slow jams and big band ballads.

 

##

 

"Hey, can I ask you a personal question?"  They had been dozing on a cloud, tracing unfamiliar constellations in the daylight sky, when Sam broke the silence.  Bucky was quiet for a few seconds and then shrugged.  Sam sat up crossed-legged and twirled plaid cloud vapor over his fingers.  "Ok.  So how does a guy who grew up decades before the sexual revolution get laid?"

 

Bucky sat up across from Sam.  Their knees barely touched.  "You mean in the '40s or now or, um, in between?"

 

"Oh.  I guess all three."

 

Bucky flipped his hair out of his eyes and put it all up in another man bun, then leaned over with elbows on knees in mock concentration.  "Is that the kind of question you ask a guy when you don't even know his middle name yet?"

 

"I've read your dossier.  I know your middle name.  I know your date of birth, I know where your identifying scars and birthmarks are, and…I know you like plums."

 

Bucky smiled in a way that Sam could only describe as flirtatiously.  "Plums, huh?  Yeah, I like plums.  I like a lot of things."  His eyes looked impossibly bluer when he said that.  Then the intense glare was gone just as quickly as it arrived and Bucky looked off into the distance.  "I may have read a file or two on you."

 

Sam smiled.  "Really?  Why?  I mean, I was searching for you for a long time, sometimes on my own before I officially started Avenging.  I kinda _had_ to read up on you.  So why'd you read my file, and what dirt did you find?"

 

"Just standard procedure to gather intel on your targets—I mean adversaries—I mean…people you work with in the field."  Bucky flushed just a little bit.  "And I don't recall reading anything, um, incriminating.  Just basic stuff.  Military record, commendations, address—"

 

"My address?  You didn't stake out my place, did you?"

 

"Um…maybe.  Once.  Again, standard operating procedure.  Had to make sure you had enough clean towels for Steve."

 

Sam flicked Bucky's knee playfully.  "Ok.  What else did you find out about me?"

 

"That you lost someone close to you, and that's why you left the military."

 

Sam leaned back on his hands, increasing the distance between them.  "Yeah.  That was in my file?"

 

"Steve told me."

 

"You asked Steve about me?"

 

Bucky crossed his arms.  "Well, yeah.  I had to make sure he was in good hands."

 

"Oh.  Is that when you thought we were…more than friends?"

 

Bucky smiled.  "Maybe.  I mean, I had to ask him about you to know what color sweater to knit you."

 

"I do like blue sweaters, man."

 

"Sorry.  It was green."

 

"Damn."  They shared a chuckle before Sam waved his hand around saying, "No, no, man.  You never answered my question.  You're really good at changing the subject."

 

"What subject?" Bucky replied, sounding honestly perplexed.

 

"The question about you hooking up."

 

Bucky inspected his metal hand like it was suddenly very interesting.  "What exactly are you asking me?"

 

Sam suddenly found his own hands very interesting.  "Um, I guess I'm asking which…uh…which way you swing.  If that's not too personal."

 

Bucky grinned and moved his gaze from his own hand to Sam's knee.  "I guess it's too late to stop that now."  He bit his lip and finally met Sam's eyes.  "What do you think?"

 

"Well, Cap said you were all about the ladies back when you were young.  That you were rarely lonely for female companionship."

 

An attractive flush spread across Bucky's cheeks.  "I think that's an exaggeration."

 

"Right."  A thick silence fell over them, during which both men just played with the tiny threads in their clothing.  Finally Sam sighed dramatically.  "Well?"

 

"Wait a second.  Why are you so curious about my sexual history all of a sudden?"

 

"I'm not!" Sam blurted out, hands held up defensively, "I'm curious about all of you—I mean, I'm curious about your history—I mean…ugh.  I'm just saying…look, what else do we have to do in this place but talk to each other?"

 

Bucky stretched his arms over his head and yawned, and Sam suddenly found himself worried that Bucky would walk away, leaving him with more unanswered questions.  But instead his frenemy stretched out on his side, leaned his head on his metal arm, and settled into the fluffy cloud.  Sam smiled and adopted the same pose.

 

"Ok, let's talk.  But you go first.  My memory can be fuzzy sometimes.  You know, with the multiple brainwashings."

 

"Dude."  Sam reached over to give Bucky a casual punch, but it ended up being a comforting stroke on his bare shoulder instead.  "We don't have to go down memory lane if you don't want."

 

"Too late, Wilson.  So.  Tell me about your first kiss."

 

They regaled each other with tales of first, second, and third kisses with girls, negotiating bases with girls who were sometimes too slow for them, sometimes way too fast.  Along the way they also swapped off-topic stories about families, favorite movies, and general weirdness that was growing up. They agreed virginity losses were, as usual, nothing to write home about, but they also agreed that they'd always remember those girls' names, no matter what.  They spent hours or possibly days talking and laughing and slapping each other playfully, their hands sometimes lingering on skin through several stories.  At some point Sam noticed that their now bare feet were rubbing together.

 

"So, when are you gonna tell me about the really juicy stuff?" Bucky asked after a lull.

 

Sam thought about it a second.  "Right.  I'm gonna go on a beer run before we get to that."

 

"I need a lot of beer.  Imported beer!" Bucky ordered to Sam's retreating back.  "And I like it room temperature!"

 

"Because you've been living overseas too long, traitor."  Sam flew around a little until he found a celestial liquor store serving libations from freezing cold to nearly hot.  He grabbed a selection and fit as much as he could carry in his arms before flying back to the small intimate cloud that he and Bucky had settled into—only to find it overextended and overrun with enhanced humans and extraterrestrials. 

 

Star-Lord took one look at Sam's arms and started clapping.  "Booze!  Nice!"  He divested Sam of his offerings and started passing out bottles before Sam even had a chance to speak.

 

"Um, you're welcome," Sam grunted.  He looked at Bucky, who at least had the decency to look disappointed for a second before shrugging and grabbing three room temperature bottles of dark beer.

 

"Hey, let us play 'Never have I ever,'" announced Wanda as she telekinetically opened a bottle of Sokovian vodka.

 

Peter Parker patted his pockets for a bottle opener.  "Oh, I played that once at a party.  I was the only one that didn't get wasted."

 

Doctor Strange poured glasses of a very fine Cabernet for himself, T'Challa, and the Cloak of Levitation.  "Never played that one.  What's the buy-in amount?  I don't have any cash on me, but…will the Amulet of Czothror do?"

 

Drax the Destroyer took a swig from a 40 oz. bottle of something neon pink.  "I overheard Peter Quill briefly refer to this game on one occasion, so therefore I am in the best position to begin: Never have I ever…drank a beverage of such a color before.  I win."

 

It took several minutes of explanations and a few flowcharts before everyone understood the rules.  All the while they had to wrestle the bottles from underage Groot, who would only settle down once they presented him with a Dixie cup-full of low-alcohol ale. 

 

"I have one," T'Challa announced as he held his glass of wine regally.  "Never have I ever been serenaded by fifty beautiful, naked women on the occasion of my birthday before having dinner with the Dalai Lama, the Pope, Oprah, and Grumpy Cat."  While he sipped his wine, the others rolled their eyes.  "What?"

 

"Never have I ever…uh…never have I ever…oh."  Mantis looked up at her antenna, which seemed to look down into her sad eyes.  "Never have I ever had so much fun being dead, because I am with my friends."  She took a drink.  The others all looked down red-faced and eventually took quick swigs themselves.

 

"That was quite touching," Drax said solemnly.  "You made us all uncomfortable.  Shut up."

 

"Ok, let's liven this thing up," Star-Lord roared.  "Never have I ever been grapefruited or grapefruited someone else!"  He laughed as he looked around the group.  Only Wanda took a drink.  "Really?  Was it, telepa—teleken—did you do it with your mind?"

 

"Wouldn't you like to know," Wanda chuckled, licking her lips.  "My turn: Never have I ever been used as human furniture during a bondage session."  To her surprise, several of them took a drink.  "Oh.  Respect."

 

Doctor Strange cast a spell to refill the now empty bottle of wine.  "Never have I ever been stuck in the sixth dimension with the Dagger of Flozquar and fifteen thousand demonic cjanlocusts threatening to infect your orifices with—"

 

"Next!" everyone growled.

 

"I guess it's my turn," Peter Parker declared bashfully.  He climbed up a glass tree to hang upside down, managing not to even spill his drink.  "Never have I ever had a crush on a close friend."

 

Wanda wiped a tear as she drank.  Mantis let her antenna take a drink.  T'Challa and Doctor Strange both drank.  Star-Lord drank a lot. 

 

Drax laughed at them all, then pointed at Sam and Bucky.  "Why are new and old best friend not drinking, when they so clearly both crushed on the Colonel of America?"  Everyone smirked at the two men in question.

 

"That…I don't know what you're…that's just…stop it," Sam grumbled.  When he glanced at Bucky, who was surreptitiously taking a drink, Sam felt his face heat up.  "Um…ok, yeah, my turn.  Um…Never have I ever had sex with a plushophile."  Sam and Wanda drank, and Star-Lord asked if it counted if it was a soft and furry alien instead of a human in a costume.  He drank anyway.

 

"I am not entirely certain we can become inebriated in this dimension," T'Challa said after emptying another glass of wine.  "Does this game serve a purpose if we cannot get drunk?"

 

Peter hiccupped.  "It helps us get to know each other better!  I mean, look how much we've learned just now.  Who would've thought that superheroes could be so…uh…pervy?"

 

"I am Groot," mumbled Groot.

 

"For the love of God!" and similar responses went around the group.  Groot sat back with a self-satisfied smirk on his young fibrous face.

 

"You kiss your mother with that…is that a mouth?" Strange quipped.

 

"Bucky, it is your turn," Wanda announced, eyes piercing into him as she levitated several empty bottles around their heads.  "And make it a good one!"

 

Bucky seemed to shrink into himself, sitting there on a cloudy floor lotus style, no flower to balance on, Sam noticed.  "Um, I don't know."

 

Mantis murmured, "You don't have to," her eyes and her antenna looking anxious.

 

"Sure, he does," Drax bellowed.  "It is the code of the alcohol tournament.  Regale us with your sordid past debauchery!"

 

Sam cleared his throat, loudly.  "Um, Buck—"

 

"No, it's fine."  Bucky took a drink, then another before saying, "Never have I ever slept with someone that I then had to kill.  More than once."  Everyone got quiet, even Drax.  Sam tried to wish up a distracting thunderstorm, but that didn't work.  Eventually Bucky crawled to his feet.  "I think I'll just take a walk or something…alone."  He walked a few feet away from everyone before turning in Sam's direction.  "Hey, Sam?"

 

"Right there," Sam replied, on his feet before Bucky had even finished asking.  He clapped him on his metal shoulder and said, "Where to, man?"

 

"Nowhere."  He looked sadder than anyone in a peaceful alternate dimension should. 

 

Sam looked back at the others staring at them.  "Hey, I could really go for a ride about now.  Why don't we go on a snack run?"  The corners of Bucky's soft mouth twitched.  Before Sam could think too hard, an obnoxiously large motorcycle emerged from the cloud cover in front of them.  Sam climbed on, started the thing, and laughed at how obnoxiously loud it was.  He handed the lone helmet to Bucky and revved the engine.  He slid forward in the seat to make room and cocked his head in invitation. 

 

Bucky smiled bashfully and handed the helmet back to Sam before climbing on behind him, carefully.  "You keep it.  We wouldn't want you to hurt that pretty head of yours."

 

Sam held his breath as Bucky got comfortable and placed his hands tentatively on Sam's back.  Once Sam sent them flying forward, the momentum forced Bucky closer, and Sam had to take a few deep breaths when he felt surrounded by strong arms and legs as they went sailing across a multicolored sky.

 

##

 

Sam took them to the beach.  The water was purple and the folks were surfing on giant friendly sharks, but it was otherwise like any beach.  They rode fast along the water's edge, just close enough to get a little spray on them.  It was heavenly.

 

After a while he stopped to take in a triple sunset.  They watched the pretty for a while, and then Bucky got off the bike, his hands lingering around Sam's waist until the last moment.  Sam willed the helmet away and watched Bucky kick at a few rocks.  Then he noticed that they were both wearing the exact clothes they'd had on when they first encountered one another in D.C.

 

"You know, just when I start to not mind this place, I remember what sucks about it," Sam groaned.

 

Bucky looked up, noticed the clothing, and gave a _Here we go again_ shrug.  "At least this time it makes sense.  This was my best Winter Soldier couture."

 

"You want to talk about it?"

 

"No," Bucky replied quickly, but then added a smile.  "There's a lot of stuff that happened—that I did…that was done to me—that I'd like to forget.  Some of it's just hinted at, some as vivid as yesterday.  It's too painful to think about."

 

Sam dismounted and picked up a few rocks to skim along the purple water.  "Then don't think about it anymore.  We're supposed to be all tranquil and shit here, wherever this is."

 

"Yeah, but—"

 

"Let it go, man.  It wasn't your fault.  You know that."

 

"I just worked so hard these past two years to deal with it all.  I kinda wish Shuri was here to talk me down again, but then…I'm glad she's not here."

 

Sam threw a large rock very far, very hard.  "T'Challa's little sister really, um, helped you out, huh?"

 

"Yeah.  I wouldn't have made it without her."

 

"Mm.  Good to know."  Sam stared down at the sand until the silence became deafening.  When he looked up Bucky was smiling strangely at him.  "What?"

 

"Dude."

 

"What?"

 

"It wasn't just her.  It was everybody that helped me.  I mean, we never would have got away if you hadn't—"

 

"I know, I know."

 

"If Wanda was here, she'd probably say you were jealous."

 

"Not this again."

 

"You make it too easy, Wilson."  Bucky stretched and yawned, hands up above his head, making a thin sliver of belly peek out above his waistband.  Sam caught himself looking and then rolled his eyes at himself.

 

"This place is about to drive a brother crazy."

 

"Tell me about it."  Bucky squinted into the setting suns and sighed dramatically.  "I probably shouldn't ever play drinking games.  It never ends well."

 

Sam thought for a while before speaking.  "You know you can talk to me.  I mean, that's what I do—that's what I _did_ at the VA, before all this.  I helped soldiers struggling with PTSD.  I'm not a doctor or anything but—ugh."  Sam shook his head, frustrated.  "What I'm trying to say is that you can talk to me.  Maybe I can help…you."

 

"I don't think I can talk about it."  Bucky glanced Sam's way before turning back to the sea.  "Not to you."

 

"Why not to me?"

 

"Because I’m—because _we're_ —"  Bucky started to answer, but then a shy grin snuck onto his face and he cleared his throat and shook his head.  "Nevermind."

 

"You think I'll lose respect for you?" Sam teased.

 

Bucky laughed.  "Can't lose what you never had, right?"

 

Sam came close enough to see that Bucky's right hand was shaking.  "Hey.  I'm serious.  I want to help."

 

Bucky turned to him quickly.  "Why?  Why do you want to dredge all this up now…here?"

 

"Because…it's what I do."  Bucky didn't look impressed by that.  Sam rolled his eyes and tried a different tactic.  "So, you'll terrify a sixteen year old girl with your sordid past, but you won't share it with me?"

 

Bucky barely bit back a satisfied grin.  "Wow.  You really _are_ jealous, aren't you?"  Before Sam could protest again, Bucky grabbed Sam's wrist firmly.  "Listen to me, Wilson.  I don't want—I _can't_ tell you all the things that happened.  Even if I could say it all out loud, I don't think I want to."

 

Sam looked down at the animated sad-face icons that popped out from where their skin touched.  Bucky looked at them too, but didn't let go.  "Ok," Sam said resignedly.  "So don't tell me.  Show me."  He gently lifted his wrist out of Bucky's grasp and pressed his palm forward so their fingertips were just barely touching.  They both gaped as tiny visible currents pulled their fingertips closer like magnets.

 

"Sam—I don't understand what this is."

 

"Neither do I, but it's got to mean something, right?"  Sam took a deep breath and took a step closer until their damp palms were touching.  "I think this will work.  Since you don’t want to tell me what happened, show me instead."

 

Bucky bit his lip and shook his head even as he pressed his hand against Sam's.  More sparks.  "I can't.  I don't want you to see what I've done—you've already seen too much."

 

Sam offered his other hand as well.  "Trust me.  I'm not going anywhere.  And anything you share with me stays between us.  C'mon, I think it'll help."

 

Bucky looked like he was weighing the possible outcomes.  He reached his other hand out but stopped just as those were about to touch.  "You sure?"  When Sam nodded, Bucky took a deep breath and slid both hands into Sam's.

 

There were no sprinkles or candy hearts, but Sam wasn't expecting any.  He closed his eyes, interlocked their fingers, squeezed once, and then they came.  Fleeting images of Bucky's past.  Fast, barely decipherable home movies of the Winter Soldier's misdeeds, from his point of view.  The violence perpetrated by him wasn't a surprise.  The violence done _to_ him—the repeated, sadistic violence inflicted on him—was.

 

When Sam could take no more he pulled his hands away.  He was breathing hard and fast, shaking his head to try to eradicate Bucky's memories from his mind.  He almost felt sick to his stomach.  He bent over, hands on his knees, and took a few deep breaths until it passed, until he could manage to look over at Bucky.

 

“God, no…I shouldn't have…can't burden you like that,” Bucky was mumbling to himself.  His head was bent low, his hair loose and shielding his face from Sam’s gaze.  “This was a mistake...can’t let you see—”

 

Before Sam could think too hard he launched himself at Bucky, throwing his arms around shaking shoulders.  He heard himself whispering words of comfort before his brain could catch up to what the words meant.  The words were coming fast and a little incoherently, but they definitely contained, over and over, _I’m sorry...not your fault...you're a good man_.

 

At first Bucky was a stone, the only part of him moving was his hair ghosting over Sam’s shoulder as he vigorously shook his head.  With every protestation Sam held him tighter, until Bucky could do nothing more than give in and embrace Sam back.

 

"Let this go, man,” Sam whispered, because his throat was too tight to let him speak properly.  “You don’t have to carry this anymore.  Let this place make you forget.”

 

“Forgetting would be too much like brainwashing,” Bucky murmured after a long time. “These memories are my burden, but they're mine.  They may be the only thing I have that's mine."

 

"I know the feeling," Sam sighed against Bucky's shoulder.  He heard Bucky whisper something against his neck.  "What was that?"

 

"Show me."

 

Sam was tempted to pull back, look into Bucky's eyes, to see if he was serious.  But he was afraid he'd chicken out if he hesitated.  So he nodded and took Bucky's hands in his again and closed his eyes.

 

They both gasped as Sam's most painful memories flooded their minds.  The tragic losses of both parents.  The indignities of racism.  The horrors of war.  And finally the pain of losing his wingman and best friend.  It was almost too much to handle, experiencing their combined misfortunes.  But then Sam felt himself being wrapped up in strong arms, and he felt soft whiskers and even softer lips on his cheek, and then he heard over and over, "I'm sorry…I'm sorry.  For everything, I’m sorry."

 

Conflicting emotions flooded Sam’s brain—confusion, surprise, anger, sympathy, despair.  And something else Sam was trying and failing to deny.  He told himself it was only his need to comfort that enticed him to hold Bucky tighter, to rub a hand up the back of his neck and sink fingers into his hair.  And he tried desperately to convince himself that he didn’t feel Bucky’s heart thumping hard like his was.  Just as quickly as he’d begun to welcome the feeling, it was gone.  Bucky pulled out of his arms, breathing hard, his face red.

 

“Forgive me.  I just…I’m not used to…this.”  Bucky's voice was small, embarrassed.  “I haven’t...no one's touched me like this...not for a long time.”

 

“I’m sorr—”

 

“Don’t be.”  Bucky hid his face but reached a hand out to touch Sam’s.  When Sam gave it to him, Bucky squeezed it gently, then pulled it and Sam closer and pressed his cheek against Sam’s shaking fist.  His eyes were so big and blue that Sam thought they couldn’t be real.  “Now, it’s not just all the people I killed that I see in my head.  I see the people you loved and lost.”

 

“Damn, I’m sorry.  Maybe we shouldn't have done this.”

 

“No, what I mean is...I saw the people you loved.  I felt your loss, but I felt your love for them too, you know?”  Bucky hesitated before he reached for Sam’s other hand and asked, “Please.  Show me more?”

 

This time when Sam closed his eyes he saw memories of laughing with his family, of partying with friends and girlfriends, of bonding with his fellow soldiers.  Then just as platonic memories of Riley started to fade, new visions began to pass Sam’s eyes: kids playing in Depression-era Brooklyn.  Soldiers in dance halls preparing for glory.  Steve.  Bucky’s distant happy memories were almost as vivid as his own, and watching them was making Sam’s throat tight.

 

The last memory they shared was reuniting in Wakanda, Sam watching Steve and Bucky embrace and feeling a tug of something on his heart so strong that he had to walk past them without a word.  Then he saw the same thing from Bucky’s perspective and felt what Bucky was feeling then, a somewhat familiar pain and longing as he followed Sam with sad eyes.

 

Bucky was blinking fast and shaking his head like he didn’t quite know what to make of all he’d seen.  When Sam placed a hand on his shoulder, Bucky leaned into the touch, and then smiled.

 

“Thank you, Sam.”

 

“Thank y—”  Sam laugh-sighed when Bucky pulled him into a tight hug.  He marveled a little at the turn of events, that only a few years ago the man in his arms had tried to kill him, and now he was holding on to him for dear life—or dear afterlife.  Sam thought briefly about Bucky's painful memories that he’d witnessed, and hoped that, though they were still there, that they were somehow tempered by the presence of his own happy past.  “I know I’m not a shrink," Sam murmured into a mass of hair, "or a technological genius, but I hope...I just hope I brought you a little peace, Bucky.”

 

Bucky sighed, almost sounding contented.  “More than a little.”  He smiled a little bashfully, looking downward, making his hair fall into his eyes.  "I'm grateful.  I don't know why you did this for me, but I'm grateful."

 

Sam reached out to caress Bucky's hair out of his face before he could catch himself.  “I guess because...well...it was my job.  And, you know, it was the polite thing to do.”

 

Bucky made a small, pleading noise in his throat.  "Aw, Sam.  You have no idea what—"  He stopped speaking and hesitantly leaned forward and pressed his forehead against Sam’s.  "I don't have the words…can't explain what this meant…how I feel." 

 

Sam held his breath as they embraced again.  "You don't have to say anything," he declared, lest further talk would detract from the full-body hug Bucky was giving him.  Sam melted into it, and wondered briefly how long it had been since _he'd_ really been held.  Too long, if his racing pulse and shallow breathing was any indication.  He gave Bucky a few comforting strokes, and when he _accidently_ touched bare skin he found it to be warm, soft, inviting.  Bucky exhaled hot breath on Sam's neck, making Sam shiver against his will.  "Oh.  No, y-you don't have to explain what you're…feeling."

 

Bucky lifted Sam's chin so they were face to face, inches apart.  He fixed his gaze on Sam's mouth.  "Maybe…I can…show you instead."

 

Sam licked his lips in preparation.  "Yes, please."

 

“There you two are!”  Sam and Bucky jumped in surprise—and out of each other’s arms—when Star-Lord appeared next to them from thin air.  “You guys have been for gone for ages!  Where are the snacks?”

 

Sam glowered at the Guardian.  “We ate them all.”

                               

Star-Lord had the audacity to look hurt.  “That’s cold.”

 

Bucky turned away from them, and wiped something from his face.  “You know," he murmured, voice quavering, "we were kinda in the middle of something.”

 

Star-Lord chuckled, “No duh.  I know you two have been sexing it up over here—don’t even bother denying it.  It’s cool, but you gotta come back, because we’re about to start playing Truth or Dare and we need ten to play it properly.  Well, the way they play on Kitson.  Those Kitsonians are sick, man.”

 

Sam pushed Star-Lord by the shoulders away from Bucky and their interrupted embrace.  “I’ve got something better than snacks for you guys.”  He pressed a small baggie into Star-Lord’s hand.  “Don’t let Groot have any.”

 

Star-Lord’s eyes went wide.  “Is this... _Maui wowie_?”

 

“Shh!” Sam hissed.  “Don’t announce it!  Just take this and go back to—”

 

But it was too late.  Within seconds the rest of their fellow travelers were arriving by swinging spider web, telekinetic air bubbles, hovercraft, and flying horse.

 

“I always wanted to ride a Pegasus,” Wanda proclaimed as she dismounted her large steed and peered at the contents of Star-Lord’s palm.  “Oh, that’s the good shit.  Nice one, Wilson.”

 

Sam groaned as he watched his fellow superheroes argue over who would get to partake in what, when he imagined it, was only innocent dried leaves.  When the sorcerer conjured up a giant bong in the shape of “the inner circle of thought,” Sam threw his hands up in the air in defeat.

 

When he lowered his hands, one was quickly grabbed and wrapped in vibranium.

 

“Let’s get outta here,” Bucky said, and before Sam could reply _Fuck yeah_ he was being hoisted up onto Wanda’s winged horse.  Bucky jumped up in front of him.  "Hold on tight," he yelled as he kicked gently at the beast, but Sam didn't need to be told.


	3. Chapter 3

# Chapter Three

 

The horse took them on a nice gallop along a multicolored shoreline, but as fast as the animal went, the ride never became uncomfortable.  If anything Sam felt more relaxed as they went, even with long brown hair tickling his face and a warm body pressed against him.

 

After a while Bucky slowed the horse to a walk.  Sam took the opportunity to pull stray hairs away from his face.  Bucky looked at him over his shoulder and quirked a smile.  "Sorry 'bout that."

 

"No problem."  Sam hesitated, then sank his hands into Bucky's hair and pulled it up into his favorite man bun, securing it with a scrunchie that just appeared on his wrist.  He let his hands linger before sliding them down the exposed neck. 

 

Shivering, Bucky whispered, "Thanks, Sam."

 

"Sure.  I've got you, man."  The horse was moving slowly then, but Sam still thought it best to wrap arms around Bucky's waist and hold on tight, just in case.  Bucky didn't seem to mind.

 

##

 

For the first time since they "arrived", night fell.  They stopped to admire the sight of several moons of varying shades and sizes coming out to light up the evening sky.  Then they walked for a while along the shore, the winged horse released to fly away.  Once they reached a secluded cove, Sam stuck a toe in to test the water's temperature—perfect.

 

"Wanna go for a swim?"  Sam was still looking into the water when he asked.  He turned around and gasped a little—Bucky was already naked at the waist and was working on the buttons of his pants.  Sam coughed and turned around to look at…nothing.  When he heard splashing he looked up just in time to see a moonlit ass disappear into the water.  He took a deep breath.

 

Bucky's head popped out of the water.  "C'mon in, man.  This is amazing."

 

Sam took his time undressing.  He looked up from under his shirt to catch Bucky staring at him.  He flushed but tossed his shirt away.  "What?"

 

"Are you coming or what?"

 

Sam bit back a shy smile.  "Are you enjoying the show?"

 

"I had no idea you were so bashful, Wilson."  Bucky swam away grinning.  Sam unzipped and stepped out of his pants.  He found himself wearing a pair of loud swim trunks, then thought the better of that and slid those off to find a pair of tight black Speedos that hugged him perfectly.  He took a few steps, then noticed Bucky floating on his back in the distance, naked.  Sam mentally pinched himself, wiggled out of the Speedo and dove in.  He stayed under a long while, to test his lung capacity.

 

##

 

It was night time to be sure, but they had no problem seeing anything in the dark.  The moons grew fuller and brighter by the minute, and much of the sea life was fluorescent.  They waded around, looking at the water, at the sky, and, surreptitiously, at each other.

 

"Did we ever finish our conversation from before?" Sam asked after a long bout of silence, when he couldn't stand it any longer.  "I can't remember."

 

Bucky smoothed his hair back and licked water from his lips.  "Would that be the sex conversation?"

 

Sam rubbed his belly.  "Yeah, that one."

 

"Is knowing all about my personal life that important to you, Sam?"

 

"Ok, forget it, I was just trying to make conversation!"

 

Bucky smiled and floated over to Sam, then stood up in the water to tower over Sam's supine form.  He stared down at him with an intensity that made Sam's mouth go dry.  "Sam," Bucky said very, very softly, "are you hitting on me?"

 

Sam forced himself not to flee, but to stay where he was, floating in the water, naked, vulnerable.  "N-no, I was not hitting on you," he replied after a long pause.

 

Bucky frowned and smiled at the same time.  "Well, why not?"

 

Sam froze, which caused him to sink down into the water.  He stood up, wiped water out of his eyes, and focused on the intense blue staring back at him.  "Um…what?"

 

"Why aren't you hitting on me?" Bucky asked innocently.  "Am I not worthy of being hit on?"

 

Sam did a double take.  "What?  Of course—I mean…yes, you're worthy of being hit on."

 

"Am I not attractive?"

 

Sam rolled his eyes and tried to ignore Bucky's intense glare, and the fact that they were both standing naked in waist deep glowing water.  "Ugh, how do you get me to—ok, yes, fine, you're attractive.  Damn."

 

Bucky stepped backward, going deeper until the water came up to his chin.  He cocked his head and smiled at Sam shyly.  "You think I'm attractive.  You keep inquiring about my sex life.  You're nice to me…sometimes.  Sounds like you should be hitting on me."

 

"You're unbelievable."

 

"And now you're complimenting me.  If this was a 'how to find out if you like a guy' quiz, I'd say you just passed."

 

"Dude.  You're fucking with me."  Sam crossed his arms and refused to break eye contact.  "You're always fucking with me—and yeah, ok, I fuck with you, too, so, I should be used to it.  So, just stop playing.  You're just fucking with me…right?"

 

Bucky was about to say something, then he was distracted by something to his left.  "Hey, are those dolphins over there?  Hold that thought!"  He swam over to where a few dolphins were swimming and splashing.  Sam was still holding his arms protectively over his chest when Bucky whizzed by on the backs of two dolphins, looking as happy as a teenager in love.  "Dolphins, man!  Come on!"  His smile was infectious.  Sam watched Bucky enjoy himself, watched Bucky catch his eye every so often.  Watched everything Bucky did.  When he realized he couldn't stop watching him, he wanted to punch himself.

 

"Dammit," he whispered to himself.  He trudged out of the water, threw on his clothes, and shot off into the air while Bucky was yelling at him that he could decipher dolphin clicks.

 

##

 

It took Sam a while to find their cove, and at first he feared Bucky had left.  He circled around several times, finally landing on the beach and using his goggles to search for heat signatures in the area.  Nothing but dolphins.  A tiny whimper formed in his throat.

 

"What the hell, Wilson?"

 

Sam yelped, turning around to find Bucky directly behind him.  He was wearing only an oversized white terrycloth robe, which was untied and only barely concealed his nude body.  Sam looked down, gulped, and then looked up again.

 

"How do you keep sneaking up on me like that?  I can't sneak up on you."

 

"Assassin training," Bucky countered as he approached Sam, eyes quickly moving to the bag in Sam's hand and then up to his face again.  "Where'd you go?"

 

"Did you miss me?"

 

"No."

 

"Oh."  Sam cleared his throat and shook the canvas bag in his arms.  "That's too bad.  I got something for you, but since you didn't even notice I was gone—"

 

"I noticed."  Bucky came closer, smiling at the surprise waiting for him.  "What is it?"  He looked skeptical as Sam opened the mouth of the bag.  He reached inside slowly, felt around.  A blinding smile covered his face when he pulled out a shiny black-red plum.  He shook his head at it, held it up to the bright moonlight to inspect its flawless skin.  "This is, like, the perfect, quintessential example of a plum."

 

"You like it?" Sam asked nervously.

 

"I like it."  Bucky rubbed the bulbous fruit with his thumb, looking down at it as a blush covered his cheeks.  "Thank you."  He nibbled his bottom lip, then took a careful bite of the fruit.  His eyes closed.

 

Sam watched Bucky's throat move as he chewed, and felt his own mouth go dry.  "That good, huh?"

 

"Here."  Bucky held the plum up to Sam's mouth.  When Sam reached for it, Bucky shook his head and pressed the open flesh to Sam's chin.  He held it firmly as Sam bit into it.  Eyes locked, he pulled it back and took another bite from where Sam's mouth had just been.  Sam coughed to keep from moaning.

 

"Yeah, th-that's, um, that's a damn good plum, right there."  Sam wanted to roll his eyes at his own behavior, but then he'd miss watching Bucky lick juice from his bottom lip.  "Oh…um."

 

"Have another bite."  Bucky stepped closer and offered the plum.  This time when Sam took a bite, there was a little juice left on his chin, which Bucky hesitantly wiped away with his thumb.  There was a gentle spark where their skin touched—it didn't hurt, it didn't burn.  It felt…if Sam had to characterize it, he'd have to call it _sensual_.

 

"Juicy," Sam whispered, and mouthed the remaining flesh.  That way, when Bucky pulled the plum away, there was even more juice wetting Sam's mouth.  Bucky touched Sam's lips, then, blinking fast, he moved in slowly and pressed his face to Sam's.  They stood like that, eyes closed, and then Bucky tilted his head and licked at Sam's chin and the corner of his mouth.  This time Sam couldn't conceal the sob building in his throat.  "Bucky—"

 

"Yes.  Whatever your question…the answer is yes."  Bucky pulled back so Sam could see the sincerity, and the nervousness, in his heavy lidded eyes.  "Whatever you want.  Yes," he whispered, and then licked his own lips. 

 

Sam dropped the bag on the ground, freeing his hands to touch.  When he reached inside the robe to clutch at Bucky's shoulders, the sizzle and heat forming where their skin met made them both gasp.  "So, if I asked you if you've had…been with…what you want—"

 

"Yes."  Bucky stepped closer, so they were talking into each other's mouths.  "Yes, I've been with men.  Yes, I was jealous before…of Steve, not of you.  Yes, I like when people bring me gifts.  Yes, I like…um.  Well, I really like—"

 

The ground beneath their feet started to shake.  The force of it wasn't strong enough to knock them over, but it made them step back, away from each other, out of each other's arms.  They looked around for some sign that this afterlife-place-quake was going to continue, but it was over almost as soon as it began.

 

"Did you feel that?" Sam asked softly, his hands still stretched out, wanting.

 

"Yeah."  Bucky looked around, glanced quickly at Sam, and then looked around again.  "I wasn't sure if that was for real or if it was just me…um…because we—"  He turned away and wrapped his robe tightly around himself, but Sam could still clearly make out the blush covering his skin.  Bucky ran his hand through his hair nervously, and then, just as nervously, bit on the end of his thumb.  Sam felt his heart lurch in his chest.

 

"Damn, you're beautiful."

 

"Oh."  Bucky looked like he was having trouble controlling his emotions.  "You…you think I'm beautiful?"

 

Sam didn't have to think twice.  "Yes."

 

"But…all the things I've done…what you've _seen_ that I've done.  How could you?"

 

Before the familiar hatred for HYDRA could overtake his thoughts, Sam stepped forward into Bucky's space and fisted the collar of the robe.  "You have every reason to give up on the world, and you fought and died to save it.  You bust your ass to try to atone for your past, none of which was your fault.  Despite repeated attempts, you managed to _not_ kill anyone I know and love.  And you knitted me a sweater."  Bucky's eyes were huge.  Sam sank his fingers into Bucky's hairy chin so he'd look at him, not look away.  "You're my fucking hero, man."

 

"Dammit, Sam."  Bucky sighed as he pressed himself against Sam from nose to toe.  "When you talk like that it makes it really hard to stick to the 'just friends' thing," he whispered.  His breath ghosting across Sam's lips reminded Sam of all his favorite Earth things—the ocean, warmth, sfenj, and sex.  Sam found his arms wrapping around Bucky before he could stop them.

 

“So, does this mean we're friends?”

 

Bucky smiled crookedly.  “It might.”

 

"Does this mean you missed me?"

 

"Oh, yes.  I missed you, Sam.  For two fucking years I missed you."

 

"Yeah.  So did I."  They both leaned in, and just as their lips touched, the earth moved again.  This time it wasn't just the ground.  The night sky suddenly starting changing to a strange greenish morning light.  The ocean waters started churning.  The seabirds that had been calmly shadowing them all night suddenly took flight and filled the air with eerie cawing.  It was quickly becoming mildly chaotic in the not-heaven-hell.  Stranger still, people started popping in everywhere—dropping out of the sky, riding in on countless strange creatures, and just appearing from out of thin air.  The shock of watching their new world start to shift almost made them lose their embrace, but they held on to each other's arms.

 

"You ok?" Bucky asked, when the ground beneath them had stopped shaking.

 

"Yeah."  Sam fisted Bucky's robe and mentally checked his wing pack, in case he'd have to fly them away to another fluffy, private cloud for two.  "You think this is a sign?  Like we're not supposed to…um."

 

"I've never been one to care about signs," Bucky replied, biting his lip and pulling Sam closer to whisper against his cheek, "so…you gonna kiss me or what?"

 

"I was just about to," Sam whispered, and was just tilting his head to capture soft lips with his when he heard a familiar voice say his name.  "Yes, I'm gonna!"

 

"Sam?"

 

"What?" Sam snapped, turning to stare daggers into the eyes of the latest alien or enhanced human to interrupt them.  The eyes he stared into, though, matched his own.

 

"Sam!  Is that you?" asked a shocked-looking woman.  Her hands were outstretched, her eyes were wet, and her whole body resembled Sam Wilson in female, slightly younger form.

 

"Sarah?"  Sam took a step away and glanced back quickly at Bucky, whose face was suddenly hidden by his hair.  Sam blinked a few times, then rushed forward to embrace the woman.  "Oh my God!  Sarah, what are you doing here?"

 

The woman cry-laughed as Sam lifted her off the ground in an enthusiastic bear hug.  "I was going to ask you that!"  When Sam put her down she looked at him up close, touching his cheek as she smiled up at him.  Then she slapped his face, medium-hard.  "That's for dying on us.  Now.  Aren't you going to introduce me to your…friend?"

 

Sam rubbed his cheek for longer than necessary until he got the nerve to approach Bucky.  "Um, hey, man.  This is Sarah," he said to the mop of brown hair through which he could just make out one accusatory blue eye.  " _Sarah_.  My little—."

 

"Sister," Bucky said quickly, brushing past Sam to stick out his right hand while he kept his left behind him.  "It's very nice to meet you, ma'am."

 

Sarah's smile faltered a little.  "Oh."  She didn't extend her hand, but she stepped closer to him, searching his face with all too familiar eyes.  "You're… _him_."  Bucky didn't flinch, though Sam knew he wanted to, knew he wanted to hide behind his hair and disappear.  Instead he slowly retracted his hand and gave Sam's sister a polite, military nod.

 

"He is not _him_ …well, not anymore, not exactly," Sam sputtered, his hands out between them like a referee.  "Sarah…this is my friend, James."

 

"I thought you said his name was Bucky," she proclaimed as she looked the man in question up and down.  "Didn't he try to kill you?"

 

"More than once," Bucky and Sam said in unison.  Sarah didn't look impressed.

 

"Look, he's changed," Sam implored.  "All that was in the past, you know this."  He reached out to stroke Bucky's arm, but when he noticed his sister's eyes widen, he pulled his arm away quickly.  Bucky turned away from them, and Sam felt like he'd punched himself in the gut.  "So, um, Sarah, what happened?  How did you…get here?"

 

Before Sarah could answer Bucky appeared right next to him.  The sexy fluffy robe was gone and he was back in battle gear.  "Hey, I'm gonna let you two catch up."  He started to walk away but Sam grabbed him by the hand and pulled.

 

"Wait!  Where are you going?"

 

Bucky smiled sadly.  "Maybe I can find another fluffy cloud.  You'll find me…if that's what you want."

 

Sam whispered, "Of course that's what I w—" but then Bucky was gone, vanished.

 

"How does he do that?" Sarah gasped.

 

"I don't know."  Sam just stared at the space where Bucky was, like he could still just make out the outline of his body.  Eventually his sister had to shake him out of his reverie.

 

"You ok, Sam?"

 

"Um…yeah."

 

"So.  This friend of yours."  She looked over at the churning ocean, which appeared to be boiling and icing over at the same time.  "He sure is handsome.  You never said…I mean, you've mentioned him several times over the past few years."

 

"I have?"

 

Sarah gave Sam a _C'mon, man_ glare.  "Of course.  I get that there was a lot that you couldn't share about your life with the Avengers.  Classified stuff.  But it's clear that you care about these people.  Especially Steve.  Especially…"  She just stared at Sam like she was waiting for him to finish her sentence.  Sam swallowed hard at her knowing look.  He wasn't ready for this.

 

"Um…"

 

"This Bucky.  Is he your friend," Sarah asked with a reassuring hand on her brother's arm, "the way… _Riley_ was your friend?"

 

Sam's throat went tight.  He couldn't meet Sarah's gaze, but he grabbed her hand on his arm and squeezed.  He closed his eyes and thought of Riley, of everything they'd shared, and the pain of losing him.  It was then that he finally realized that the part of him that Riley had awoken had lain dormant until the day he became Falcon and started fraternizing with super soldiers.  He cleared his throat and nodded quickly.  "H-how did you know?"

 

"Sam.  You think I didn't notice the way you and Riley looked at each other?  You have the same look in your eye when you look at the Win—at Bucky.  It's the same way Bucky was just looking at you."

 

Sam perked up.  "Really?  You think so?"

 

"I'd be happy for you two…if we weren't all dead."  Just then the earth shook again.  A gaggle of streaking college frat boys ran by, chased by a gaggle of streaking sorority ladies.  "All right, superhero brother of mine.  You want to tell me what is going on in this place?"

 

"I'm not really sure.  I think I need to find the others."  He went to turn on his wing-pack, but the mechanical, Stark-made wings did not come forth.  Instead, the wings sprouting from Sam's back were black and red and covered in feathers.  Sarah squealed in delight.  Sam just rolled his eyes.  _Typical_.  "Listen, we need to catch up, but I really—"

 

"Yes, go find him.  We can meet up later—all three of us.  Right now I want to go swimming with the dolphins."

 

Sam gave his sister the biggest hug in this or any world before flying off with angel's wings.

 

##

 

From the sky Sam could see that their previously serene shared afterlife was becoming a maelstrom.  Green rain fell upside down.  Magical animals suddenly began to speak and debate with each other.  In the distance purple mountain tops gently crumbled down into orange valleys.  And everywhere souls milled about, confused and agitated.  Sam couldn't even think about how long it had been, in Earth days, since they'd all arrived, since they'd all "died."  He had other things to worry about—namely, finding the others, figuring out what was going on, and, most of all, making things right with Bucky.

 

He didn't have to look for very long.  Even with all the commotion Sam could find him.  The symbolism wasn't lost on him.

 

They were all gathered on a grassy plain that looked way too much like the Wakandan site of his own demise.  He landed with a thud right next to Bucky, who kept his focus straight ahead, like the others, on Doctor Strange.  The sorcerer was hovering a few feet above ground, eyes closed, hands raised and moving slow-fast-slow.  He was in a trance, and every time his hands changed position, another distant mountain top crumbled.

 

"Uh," Sam said nervously, "what's going on?"  He was shushed by everyone.  When he felt something woody on his arm, he turned around to find Groot, who pointed at Strange and shrugged.

 

"I am Groot," the adolescent plant explained.

 

"Really?  Doctor Strange received messages from the other Masters of the Mystic Arts back on Earth?  When?"

 

"I am Groot."

 

Sam felt himself flush as he took a step away from Bucky, who still hadn't looked at him.  "Listen, twig," he whispered to Groot, "you should learn to stay out of grown folks' business—and, well, sexuality can be a very fluid thing, and—"

 

"Agh!" yelped Doctor Strange as he came out of his trance and nearly fell to the ground.  He shook his head as he got his bearings.  "Well, that was intense."  The Cloak of Levitation whipped around and held out a few orange slices for him.  "Oh, thanks.  Well, I've just—hold on."  The others waited impatiently as the sorcerer devoured an orange section like a greedy kid.

 

"What the hey, dude!" Star-Lord screamed.  "Tell us what you found out—and give over some refreshing citrus treats!"

 

"Don't rush the magician as he snacks," Drax scolded.  "His neck is very skinny.  You could make him choke."

 

"I think I can be of some help."  It was Nick Fury, out of nowhere, just walking in like he'd been among them all along.  His attire looked familiar: black pants, black leather coat, black eye patch.  The black T-shirt with the words "Fuck All You Motherfuckers" on it looked new.  "I suspect there's been some new activity in the universe."

 

"There's another player that you didn't know about," explained Maria Hill, who was also just _right there,_ wearing a "S.H.I.E.L.D. My Ass" T-shirt _._   "If she survived—"

 

" _She_?  Like, is she cute?" Spider-Man peeped.  "Not that it matters, because, um…well, is she?"

 

Mantis came over to Sam and nudged him gently.  "Please tell me I haven't missed you and Old Best Friend making out."

 

Sam groaned.  "Excuse me."  He slipped over to where Bucky was running his hands through his hair nonchalantly and _not_ looking at him.  "Hey, man.  Can I talk to you?"

 

Bucky sighed dramatically, eyes far away.  "I don't think this is the time.  Things are, like, happening."

 

Sam reached out and touched Bucky's shoulder.  "Yeah.  _We're_ …happening."

 

Bucky hid his face with his hair, but Sam could still see the blush on his skin and the quirk in his mouth.  "I don't know.  You seemed a little…hesitant…when your sister showed up."  Biting his lip nervously, he finally looked up at Sam.  "I don't wanna mess things up for you."

 

"Dammit.  No, look, can we just go somewhere and talk about—"

 

"Hey!  Loverboys, eyes up here!"  Wanda was standing next to Fury and Strange.  She was clapping her hands loudly and smiling at them devilishly.  "You will kindly pay attention while class is in session.  There will be time for romance later!"

 

Nick Fury nodded at her.  "Thank you.  Now, as for—what?  What did I miss?  You telling me that since we've been dusted, Falcon and Winter Soldier started boning each other?  How did that happen?  Didn't he try to kill, well, _everybody_ , including me?"

 

Sam and Bucky shook their heads, but didn't argue this time.  Mantis gave Sam a thumbs up.

 

"Their amour most likely developed long before now," T'Challa added helpfully.  "You know—the old best friend/new best friend rivalry dynamic."

 

"Oh," Maria Hill said with a knowing smile.  "Right.  Afterschool special." 

 

Doctor Strange whistled, loud and irritatingly.  "This is all quite scintillating, but I do actually have important information to share!"  When he had everyone's full attention, he began.  "There have been new developments on Earth and elsewhere.  Our surviving allies have apparently been working together to unmake Thanos.  With the addition of this, er, was it Captain Marvin?"

 

"Captain Marvel!" Nick Fury roared, one eye rolling.

 

"The cute chick's name is Marvin?" Spider-Man asked, one finger raised.  "Is she a hipster or…"

 

Strange held the Cloak back from slapping Peter Parker upside the head.  "The point is that there is a small chance that we can be restored.  We here trapped in the Soul Stone must break the energy barrier with an intertransmystical cross-body molecular—what?  Why are you all looking at me like that?"

 

Star-Lord raised his hand.  "Uh, what the freaking frig are you talking about?"

 

Doctor Strange groaned impatiently.  "The Soul Stone.  All this time we've been trapped in it, or rather, in its own pocket dimension.  You all knew that, right?"

 

Variations of "For sure we knew that!" came around until Drax raised his hand and said, "These people lie to try to make you think they are smarter than they are.  You'll need to explain, preferably with moving visual images, because most of us are still under the influence of the alcohol and psychoactive chemicals that the Falcon made us consume!"

 

"It was oregano!" Sam yelped, but no was listening to him.  Instead they focused on the live animated giant PowerPoint presentation that Doctor Strange conjured for them to explain the metaphysical characteristics of the Soul World and how they could break free and get back to life.  It took several repeat viewings.

 

"Does everyone understand now?" Doctor Strange whined as he rubbed his tired hands.  "We need to create a portal back to our own dimension, and the only way to do that is with a burst of energy that can be neither weighed nor measured but can be converted and destroyed."

 

"Physics, huh?" Star-Lord groused with a nodding head.  "Sorry, they didn't teach physics in the Intergalactic School of Hard Knocks."

 

Drax the Destroyer said, "What good would a school for _soft knocks_ be?  You sometimes say the dumbest things, Peter Quill."

 

"So it can not be kinetic or thermal or sound or any other type of energy that we know of," T'Challa explained.  "This sounds very much like a riddle.  If only my seventeen-year-old genius of sister were here to solve it."

 

Spider-Man raised his mask and waved his hand to get the Black Panther's attention.  "Seventeen, huh?  Is your sister cute?"

 

"When we get back to the land of the living," Scarlet Witch proclaimed, "the second thing we must do, after avenging our loved ones, is to get this boy laid."

 

Groot jumped up and down.  "I am Groot!"

 

Doctor Strange's eyes went wide.  "Yes, exactly, Groot!  That's what we need to get back to life!  Don't you all see what it is?  Haven't we been seeing it here all along?  The purest form of energy there is—what we need is—"

 

"Love."  Sam gasped and covered his mouth just as the word came tumbling out.  "We need love to get back."

 

T'Challa readjusted the presentation to view it from a different angle.  "It could not be so simple.  Are you saying all we must do is proclaim love for something or someone?  With half the human population here, surely there have been some declarations of love made already.  Why have we not been restored yet, then?"

 

"Strange's Jedi friends and this Major Marvelous back on Earth probably had to get everything ready first," Star-Lord said emphatically.  "I wouldn't be surprised if Rocket had something to do with it, too."

 

"Yes, and Thor the Asgardian," Drax sighed wistfully.  "If anyone will save the universe, it will be him and his astounding physique."

 

"It's just love?  Really?" Spider-Man asked skeptically.  "So, like, my love for pizza and pop culture will get us out of here?"

 

"It is more likely to be love for something more significant than that," Drax declared.  He touched his chest with both hands.  "I love my nipples.  My nipples will save us."

 

Star-Lord shook his head and started searching his pockets.  "No, dudes, I got it.  Love for the perfect song.  Let me just get one of my mixtapes—"

 

A heated discussion blossomed suddenly regarding what, exactly, sort of love would be the key to their deliverance.  T'Challa spoke of love of country, family, and sex.  Mantis proposed love of friends and sex.  Wanda and Groot suggested love of disturbingly graphic and acrobatic sex.  Sam looked over to see Bucky pulling his hair up into another fetching man-bun.  When Sam took a closer look, he noticed that Bucky was wearing a brand new, perfectly fitted "I'm gay and so is my boyfriend, Sam" T-shirt with his battle gear. 

 

Bucky caught Sam staring at his chest, and he smiled shyly.  "Just so there's no more confusion…when we get back home," he said, his eyes big and hopeful.

 

"Oh my God.  It's true love."  Sam thought he'd said it to himself, but the others all suddenly stopped and gaped at him like he'd just shouted at the top of his lungs.  He took a deep breath, removed his gloves, and stood directly in front of Bucky.  He started to reach for Bucky's hand, and then instead wrapped both hands gently around Bucky's neck.  With skin to skin contact came another familiar outburst of sparkles and light.  When he sank his fingers into the whiskers on Bucky's face, the sparkles blazed up into a bright light above them.

 

"Holy shit!" Star-Lord yelped.  "Their man love denial is creating energy!  Is that how physics works?"

 

Doctor Strange was already making mojo happen with his hands.  "Not at all, but this time, I think it just might!"  He said some incantations, then frowned.  "We need more energy!"

 

"Kiss him!" Mantis squealed as she hopped up and down.  "Hurl your tongue down his throat, dammit!"

 

Sam tried his best to shut out the others egging him on.  He concentrated on the man who'd been in front of him, behind him, and beside him for longer than he really knew.  "I'm sorry—this is not the ideal way to do this!"

 

"I don't mind," Bucky mouthed.  He slid both hands along Sam's waist, pushing aside the clothing to touch bare skin, causing the energy around them to grow bigger and brighter.

 

Wanda captured the whole show on her camera phone.  "Man, that's hot," she grunted.

 

"I really wish we could do this without an _audience_ ," Sam barked at the others before lowering his voice just for Bucky, though he knew the others could hear anyway.  "Look.  It's my fault that I took so long to come around…to admit…how I fee—you know.  I've never been, well, I'm not exactly _out._ "

 

Bucky nodded regretfully.  "Yeah, same here."

 

"But I'm gonna work on that.  And I'm so sorry for how I acted with my sister, man.  I didn't know that she knew about me and Ri—about me.  I guess I have to figure out my identity and stuff...or not.  I just haven't had to think about any of this for so long but now I have a really good reason to and I don't wanna screw this up and I know I'm babbling but I just really, really want—to do this right.  Do you know what I'm saying?"

 

"Yes, of course," Bucky whispered.  He squeezed Sam against him, and that made the energy explode all around them.

 

Doctor Strange urged them on with, "That's it, we're almost there!  More!"

 

"More?" scoffed Nick Fury.  "Don't tell me these boys are gonna have to get buck-ass naked for us to get home!"  Wanda and Mantis squealed delightfully at the thought of it.  "Aw, hell no!  Would you just tell him, Wilson?"

 

"Tell him," Mantis yelped, her eyes full of hopeful tears.  "Tell him then tongue kiss him in the mouth!"

 

"This is ridiculous," Bucky said with a smile.  "I liked it so much better when it was just us."

 

Sam traced Bucky's lips with a shaking finger.  "Yeah, us."  He thought about the odds of the two of them finding each other, after brainwashings and fights and exiles and disintegrations and alternate universes and internalized homophobia and meddling superheroes.  It had to be…meant to be.  If The Winter Soldier had ever gotten around to killing him, if Sam hadn't spent countless nights wondering what was happening in Wakanda, if only one of them had been in that fifty percent…then they wouldn't be about to save the world with a simple kiss.

 

Bucky chuckled and licked his lips like he could read Sam's mind.  "C'mon.  Tell me.  The universe is waiting on you, man.  So am I."

 

"So impatient," Sam sighed happily.  He touched Bucky's face, thought about beard burn, realized he didn't mind, thought about returning to a world not as open and accepting as the one they were in, realized he didn't care, as long as Bucky was always with him.  "Ready?"  Bucky answered with an anxious moan, a bite of lip, and a suggestive caress down Sam's lower back.  "Damn," Sam moaned himself as he pulled Bucky flush against him, "are you gonna kiss me or what?"

 

Bucky grinned and sucked his bottom lip into his wet mouth.  "I was just about to kiss the hell out of you."

 

"Me, too."  Sam leaned forward, and then turned to press his lips against Bucky's cheek.  There he whispered three short words, and held on as Bucky started to shiver in his arms.  "It's ok, it's ok."  He pulled back to see that Bucky's eyes were as red and glassy as his own.  "C'mere."  When they finally kissed on the lips, the energy field around them instantly spread out to engulf all of them.  The others broke into applause, but Sam was too busy being engulfed in a tight embrace and deep passionate kiss.  The longer they kissed the brighter and faster the energy field grew.  And as it grew, the residents of Soul World started popping away, disappearing as quickly as they'd first arrived.

 

"You've done it!" Drax roared.  "You've saved billions of lives with your hidden same-sex attraction!  If you'd both had the guts to admit your feelings, maybe we could have gone home ages ag—" And then he was gone.

 

"Good going, kids.  Try to keep the PDAs to a minimum on the battlefield," Nick Fury replied as he vanished.

 

Maria Hill added, "Uh, thanks for saving us, guys, but does anyone know if Thanos survived, too?" just before disappearing.

 

"Fuck it, keep going!" Doctor Strange yelled, hands flailing so fast the movement was a blur.

 

Sam finally ended the kiss so they could both take a breath.  He swallowed hard when he felt a cool Vibranium hand sliding up his back and warm fingers crawling up his belly.  "I…I hope that was worth the wait."  Bucky's hand pressing against the center of his chest was answer enough.

 

Wanda threw an energy bolt at them, which turned into rainbow confetti on contact.  "You're not done!  I'd like to get out of here, too!  And by the way…we told you so!"

 

Bucky sighed dramatically but smiled.  "Yeah, they did."  He touched Sam's face like it was something precious.  "We should have her and Mantis over for dinner…at our, um, place…sometime.  Ok?"  Sam groaned helplessly just as they kissed again, making the energy brighter, sending more souls back to where they came from before The Snap. 

 

This time it was Bucky who stopped the kiss to whisper, "Me too…love you, too."  The energy field instantly went supernova.

 

"Awesome!"

 

"It's about time!"

 

"Thank the ancestors!"

 

"When we return, I want to watch!" came from Spider-Man, Scarlet Witch, Black Panther, and Mantis respectively, right before they all were instantly restored back to the land of the living.

 

"Hm.  I think if _my_ true love was here, I could have saved us all a lot faster," Star-Lord proclaimed just before disappearing.

 

Sam and Bucky were still making out when Groot slapped them both playfully on their entwined arms.  He looked like he'd grown an inch of new bark in the last few minutes.  "I am Groot."

 

Sam smiled wistfully.  "Yeah, I guess Bucky _is_ my soulmate.  No, I don't have any more pot."

 

"I am Gro—"

 

Doctor Strange floated over to them as he shook his overworked hands.  "Damn, that kid has a one-track mind."  He did some neck rolls as his Cloak patted Sam and Bucky on their shoulders in congratulations.  "I suppose we may have another fight on our hands when we return, but I'm confident we'll ultimately defeat Thanos.  Still, just in case, do the world a favor and stay together for the near future."

 

"Not a problem," Bucky said before nibbling on Sam's ear.  Sam shrugged and pulled his boyfriend closer, like he never planned on letting go.

 

"Right.  Let's hope this works.  I don't think I can take being trapped in another dimension with all you lunatics and that depraved shrub," Doctor Strange quipped just before disappearing.

 

With the sorcerer gone, the spell was broken, and the love energy started to wane.  All around them people were disappearing, and soon Sam and Bucky were the only two left as far as the eye could see.  Both men looked around at the strange, magical, now empty place that they'd soon be leaving.  And then they laughed.

 

"Well, you said you wanted me all to yourself!" Sam said as he squeezed Bucky's hand.

 

"That, I do."  They stared at each other, and tried to ignore the impending feeling that their existence was about to change, again.  "Sam—"

 

"I know.  I feel it coming, too."  Sam pulled Bucky tight against him, afraid to let go.  "So, when we get back…and we save the world again…you gonna give me that green sweater you knitted for me?"

 

"I'll knit you sweaters in every color of the rainbow," Bucky sighed anxiously, "as long as you want me."

 

Sam pressed his palm against Bucky's thumping heart.  "That long, huh?  Will we need a lot of sweaters in Wakanda?"

 

Bucky bit his lip, but it still trembled.  "Sam.  I've never felt—what I mean is—since I met you I wanted to—what I'm trying to say is—"

 

"I love you, too."

 

"Oh, baby."

 

"Now, let's go home."  Sam took a deep breath, kissed Bucky one last time, stood back, holding just Bucky's hand, and waited.  Seconds later, his former enemy and forever beloved started to disappear into thin air.

 

Bucky smiled as he lifted Sam's hand to kiss it with phantom lips.  "You coming, baby?"

 

Sam watched Bucky go and felt a delicious peace overtake him, like that of a man looking forward to a lifetime of balancing atop flowers with the man of his dreams.

 

"Be right there."

 

 

 

© 2018 Pjordha


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